The Marauders: Year 1 -- The Begining
by I'mthefifthmarauder
Summary: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were best friends. Of course they weren't called that yet. Remus feels alone with his condition. James has been waiting to go to Hogwarts his whole life. Sirius is glad to get away from his parents and find his real family. Peter's surprised to find he had friends. Now they've found each other, and together, they're the Marauders.
1. Chapter 1-- James Potter: Diagon Alley

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter world**

First year students will require:

1\. Three sets of work robes (black)

2\. One pointed hat (black) for day wear

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide of similar)

4\. One winter cloak (black with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

By Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic

By Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory

By Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

By Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

By Phyllida Spore

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

By Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

By Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1\. One wand

2\. One cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

3\. One set glass or crystal phials

4\. One telescope

5\. One set brass scales

Students may bring also, if they desire, and owl OR a cat OR a toad

James read through the list one more time before stuffing it in the pocket of his robes, then he stepped into the fireplace and took a pinch of floo powder from the ceramic flower pot his mother held out to him. He threw the floo powder into the white ash at his feet and shouted "Diagon Alley," as clearly as he could. Green flames erupted around him, obscuring his vision. Everything around him seemed to be spinning at an alarmingly quick rate. He kept catching glimpses of rooms: a smoky kitchen where a young woman was batting at the blackness with a cloth; an empty, abandoned, dusty attic filled with many stacks of old cardboard boxes, which appeared the be falling apart; a large elaborately furnished dining room where a mother and father sat eating a meal with their two sons; they all had black hair.

When James could feel himself slowing down, he stuck out his foot, and forced it down onto the ground in front of him. Instead of landing in the ash, James' foot struck wood; it jarred his ankle and he smacked his head on the low, brick hearth. It wasn't the smoothest landing, but James managed to stay on his feet, stepping out into the Leaky Cauldron, limping slightly and rubbing his forehead, trying to see where he was going through slightly watering eyes. His mother came through behind him.

"Oh, James, honey, you're covered in soot," she said, trying to brush him off.

"I know Mum," he replied, shying away and rumpling his hair until all the soot had fallen to the ground, then he swiped his hands over his robes, cleaning them off as much as he could; he followed his mother out of the room. Having seen his parents open the entrance to Diagon Alley many times before, James only watched idly while his mother tapped the brick above the trash can. The wall began to open, morphing into a big archway over ten feet high. Everything inside the archway was so familiar: the old rickety sign that had always been above Olivander's wand shop, now he was going to get a wand of his own; there was Flourish and Blotts, the book big bookshop, always crowded, where he would get his new schoolbooks; the small stool outside Madam Malkin's that had always been there; all the animals, today there was a large orange cat, that started out the window of Magical Menagrie; and the owls, all different colors, sizes and kinds that slept in their cages of Eeylops Owl Emporium.

They passed all of these shops and James and his mother walked into Gringotts, the poem engraved above the silver doors seemed to stand out like a light in the dark. His mother walked up to the nearest desk and addressed the goblin sitting there. He led them to a small cart, and James and his mother clambered in. The ride to the Potter vault was as exhilarating as ever; he let the cold air whip his hair back from his face. As they reached vault 687, the goblin slowed the cart, and stepped out, taking the small golden key from Mrs. Potter and inserting it into the bronze, oval door. James watched his mom slide a hand full of coins into a large pouch, pocket it and then take out a smaller pouch and fill that too.

"Here is a little spending money for you; don't forget to save some for a snack on the train. Your father and I have agreed that you deserve it." James' mother told him, handing him the smaller pouch as soon as they had left the bank.

"Thanks mum!" James replied happily.

"I'm going to go and buy your school things, you go and explore." It was the first time James had been allowed to go wander around Diagon Alley on his own. In his excitement, he walk straight into a little blond boy clutching an ice cream cone in one hand, and holding tight to his mother's with the other.

"Whoops, sorry," James apologized hastily as the boy's ice cream was pushed into his chest.

"That's okay," the boy said with a slight lisp as his mum cleaned him off with her wand. His front teeth were missing. "My name's Gilderoy Lockhart, but you can call me Mr. Lockhart, please, or Mr. Gilderoy. I'm seven." James nodded awkwardly as Gilderoy Lockhart continued to babble on. Mrs. Lockhart stood up when she had finished wiping all the ice cream off of his robes.

"I'm sorry about him," she said smiling at James as she reached for his son's hand. James smiled back but didn't say anything. "Come on Gilderoy," Mrs. Lockhart took the broken ice cream cone from the little boy and pulled him after her. Gilderoy Lockhart turned and looked back to wave at James enthusiastically before he disappeared in the crowd. Pushing the kid from his mind, James tossed the pouch of money into the air, then caught it, and pocketed it.

The first shop he went into was Gamble and Japes. Entertaining prank devices lined every wall. Dr. Fillibuster wet-start, no-heat fireworks sat on the shelves just begging James to pick them up and purchase them. He grabbed an arm full, and brought them to the counter. The man at the desk rang up the items, a total of seven galleons, and eleven sickles. James let the man stuff the boxes in a bag and hurried out the door to greet again, the buslting crowd. He pushed through the current of witches and wizards to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream parlor, where he bought a large chocolate ice cream, and sat down to strike up a conversation, soon interrupted Mrs. Potter. She was holding James' school books, cauldron, glass phials, and a brand new set of brass scales.

"Come along James, we have to get you fitted with your robes, then we'll go buy you a wand. James said goodbye to Mr. Fortescue and joined his mother on the streets of Diagon Alley again. They walked down to the small-yet-tidy building, Madam Malkin's. Of course James had been in here many times while his father was getting dress robes, normally for dinner parties or nights out with his wife. A little bell jingled as James entered, and Madam Malkin looked up from her work on a polished wooden desk. She smiled when she saw Mrs. Potter and her son.

"Now, you'll be getting your Hogwarts robes I presume?" She asked as James stepped onto the stool in the center of the room. He nodded eagerly, and Madam Malkin proceeded to search through a messy pile of random things behind her desk. At last, she resurfaces with a tape-measure in her hand, glided over to James again and began measuring his body. She then found a pair of robes and pulled them over James' head, instructing him to hold his arms out at either side. She took a box of pins from the floor, and began adjusting the sleeves, and hem. It was fairly quick work, but James' arms had begun to get tired. At last, Madam Malkin removed the robes and addressed Mrs. Potter.

"Right," She said. "I'll alter these for you, and have them ready to go and sent to Potter Manor by next week. Mrs. Potter thanked her, and paid her the money for the robes. James followed his mother back out, setting off the tinkling bell again. As he walked down the street he caught sight of the old sign hanging above the next shop's small, dark door. The paint was chipped but James could clearly read: _Olivanders: Makers of fine wands since 382 B.C._ A flutter of excitement filled his chest and he hurried in front of his mother to enter the old, dusty shop.

The shop was small, and empty except for an old man hunched over at his desk. James cleared his throat, and Mr. Ollivander looked up. James almost did a double take. Olivander's eyes were silver.

"Ah, and who might you be?" Olivander asked.

"James Potter," James replied hesitantly.

"Excellent, Mr. Potter if I could have you please hold out your wand arm?" James held out his right arm for the man, who took a tape measure and set to work. James watched the tape measure's progress as it measured even some of the most bizarre places. Then Mrs. Potter walked in. She coughed softly at the dust and went to sit on the spindly chair in the corner of the room. Mr. Olivander didn't seem to notice her come in. He snatched the tape measure out of the air, and set it on the desk again, and then shuffled through the aisles in the back until he was no longer visible. James looked at his mother, but she had pulled out her handkerchief and was blowing her nose.

At last, Mr. Ollivander came back with several boxes in his arms. He laid then out on the desk and gave one to James to try.

"This is a Hawthorn wand, core of unicorn hair, ten and a half inchers." James took the wand, and Mr. Olivander looked at him as if he was expecting something. Then, all of a sudden, he snatched the wand back from James and replaced it with another. It, according to Olivander, was Willow, ten and a quarter inches. Olivander took this one too, before James could even get a good look at it. He continued to hand James wand after wand of various combinations. Birch and dragon heartstring, yew and unicorn hair, holly and phoenix feather. After about twenty minutes, Olivander had come back with a sixth batch of wands, and he handed James the first one- Eleven inches, made of mahogany- The minute his fingers touched to polished wood, he felt a warm, tingling feeling in the tips of his fingers. He swished the wand through the air, and bright, gold sparks issued from its tip. Mr. Olivander clapped, again took the wand from James, placing it back in the box, and handing it to Mrs. Potter who had stood up, smiling, and was rummaging around in her small purse to for Galleons. She thanked Mr. Olivander and the two of the left the store. Quite frankly, James was glad to leave.


	2. Chapter 2-- Remus Lupin: Fenrir Greyback

"Remus, come inside, please, " Lyall Lupin said, beckoning to his young son sitting in the grass. His gaze flitted nervously across the landscape and a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. He grew more frantic as he looked to each horizon, the sun was disappearing beneath the forest to the west, allowing decorative red and orange to flood the sky like watercolor. On the other side, the crest of the full moon was just beginning to peek over the tiny town that sat less than a mile from the cottage of the Lupin family.

"Remus," he said again, impatiently. "I asked you to come in." Remus stood and grabbed his teddy bear, then ran in quickly replacing a frown with a bright smile. Lyall knelt so that he could leap into his father's arms. Lyall hugged him tightly, then moved aside to allow him to pass by so that his mother could tuck him in. Then Lyall closed the door with a snap and hesitated above the lock before letting it click shut. He followed his wife and son to the basement, where Hope was kissing Remus on the head and saying good night. Then he and his wife turned back to the door, Hope blew out the candle on the dresser and closed the door behind the two of them.

"What's wrong, Lyall?" She asked as soon as they had gone back upstairs. Mr. Lupin hesitated.  
"Lyall, what happened?" Hope's voice was firm and persistent. Lyall caved.

"At work today. Fenrir Greyback... he..." His voice broke, and the next words were barely a whisper. "He said- he said he was going to come after me. Come after us. Hunt us down and hurt our family, our son." A tear rolled down his face. Sympathy softened Hope's beautiful face.

"It's alright, Lyall. He won't find us."

"This is all my fault." Hope's hands squeezed his shaking shoulders gently. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath to compose himself, and he and Hope retired to their room. He removed his shirt, changed into flannel pants, and climbed into bed. In an instant he was asleep, too exhausted to think over the event that had happened.

A growling sound scratched a thin layer of Lyall's consciousness. He ignored it, rolling over and drifting back into his dreams. There it was again. He blinked this time before falling back asleep. Then a blood curdling howl split the air, stabbing at Lyall's mind, slicing through his thoughts. He sat bolt upright. Beside him, Hope was stirring. Lyall ripped back the blanket covering his legs, pulling his nightshirt over his head, and grabbing his wand from the side table. He pulled open the bedroom door, and bolted down the stairs to where his son was supposed to be sleeping, but just as he touched the bottom stair, a scream, shrill and piercing, met Mr. Lupin's ears. Fear gripped his heart, trying to squeeze the life out of him.

He flung open the door to reveal a snarling black wolf hunched over his son's broken and bleeding body. It turned as the door slammed against the walls of the bedroom. It had sharp, fractured, almost-human eyes. It drew its lips back to growl at the father. Short snout, tufted tail. There was no doubt in Lyall's mind who it was. A sudden flame of anger burned bright and fierce in his chest. He pulled back his wand to fire curse after curse at the creature. Anything that came to mind. Anything to hurt the predator as much as possible for the crime it had just performed. Fenrir Greyback backed away, then turned and leapt out the open window. The fire died. Lyall rushed forward to his son, who was lying, unconscious on the red stained sheets. He dropped his head to his son's body, chest heaving, wracked with sobs. Hope appeared at her husband's shoulder.

"Sweetheart, we need to get him to St. Mungos," She said softly. Lyall brought his head up again, swallowed and then nodded.

"How do we get him there? I'm not sure I should apparate."

"We have no other way. We can't use floo powder. A broom would take to long." Lyall nodded again, and scooped Remus' bloody figure in his arms. Hope grabbed onto his arm, and Lyall turned on the spot. The three of them reappeared in St. Mungos' waiting room. The room was almost empty, but the people who _were_ there looked up in surprise; someone gasped in shock, weather at the disorganization of the group, their sudden appearance in the room, or the blood, Mr. Lupin didn't know, nor did he care. The welcome witch at her desk looked up, and the sight made her eyes widen. She didn't ask, she just stood up and dashed away, returning several minutes later with four witches and wizards in bright lime green robes which, in the severity of the moment, seemed strange and totally out of place. They levitated the little boy onto the stretcher floating behind them.

"He was attacked by a- by a werewolf. By Fenrir Greyback." The last three words dripped cruelly with malice and madness. Hope grabbed him by the elbow and guided him back to a chair. Lyall collapsed, all energy completely drained. But he couldn't sleep. In the back of his mind he was panicking. It wasn't until almost two hours later, that one of the healers came out.

"Your son will live..." Her voice trailed away. There was more and it was bad. "He's has lycanthropy now; he's a werewolf." Horror filled Lyall's stomach. He'd known it was coming, there was no doubt that his son wasn't, but the news thrown out through the air drove it in like a spike through his heart.

"Can we- can we see him?" The healer nodded and led the way through the halls until they stopped in a private room. A pinkish glow from the rising son washed over Remus' face, making him look so peaceful and happy, as if nothing had even happened, but one glance down proved different. The blanket were pulled back to reveal white bandages wrapping the boy's chest and stomach. But at least Remus was okay. At least their son was alive...


	3. Chapter 3--Remus Lupin: A Sudden Arrival

The wolf recoiled in pain as his body began to change. He crouched to the ground, letting out a final howl before his snout began to shrink. The fur on his legs seemed to retreat into his skin. He curled up and allowed his mind to slip into a subconscious state. Remus pulled himself back into wakefulness, shook his head slightly and picked himself up off the ground. Then there was a knock.

"Remus, honey," his mum called from the other side of the locked door. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah Mum." His voice was hoarse and his body stung. He was covered in fresh and bleeding cuts. His mum would wrap the wound for him, as she couldn't do magic, and his father was horrible at healing spells. Remus wiped the sweat from his brow and went to go unlock his door for his mother. She pursed her lips when she saw him, but she was used to the effects of his transformation.

"Come on upstairs, I'll get you fixed up, then you can open your presents. I'm sorry the full moon was right before your birthday." That was right. Today was March tenth. Mrs. Lupin didn't voice it, but Remus could see the words lingering behind her eyes. Many boys his age would have gotten their Hogwarts letters, or would soon. He would not be able to go to Hogwarts. Not with his condition. It was too dangerous. Remus pushed the thought aside and limped up the stairs after his mother.

Mr. Lupin was waiting for his son in the kitchen. He had taken the day off of work just for Remus' birthday. On the table were three presents: one from each of his parents, and then one out of sympathy. Remus sat down at the table, and his mum knelt down at his feet. She pushed up the right leg of his pants, and began wrapping Remus' leg in clean white bandages from his ankle, all the way up to his knee to cover a long cut that was slowly oozing bright red blood. His mother inspected his arms, wrapping a shallow scratch across his palm and a deeper set of claw marks along his shoulder and upper arm. She pulled up Remus' shirt a ways, and ran a finger gently across the ripped skin on his lower back where he had obviously bitten himself. Sighing softly, she began to bandage these too.

"All done," she said, looking her son in the eye and smiling softly, handing him his first present off the table. Remus smiled as he took it. He read the note taped to the package:

 _Dear Remus,_

 _I hope you have the best birthday ever, you deserve it. I love you so much._

 _-Mum_

It was signed with a heart. Remus cast the card aside, as if it were a normal birthday card. But he knew his mom was trying to apologize, as if it were her fault. He pretended he didn't realize that; his way of telling his mum that it wasn't. Remus moved on to the present. He ripped away the paper to find a large bar of chocolate, and an assortment of other muggle sweets. Remus grinned, thanking his mum, putting his arm around her in a fleeting hug and kissing her on the cheek; he moved to his father's present. It was a muggle book about werewolves. It was meant to be a joke, and Remus laughed. He would have to read the book. Really, it meant a lot to him that his parents could make a joke like this about his being a werewolf. It made him realize they loved him no matter what.

At last he went on to the third present. It was small, but heavy, and he opened it to reveal a little radio. It was a wonderful present.

"We love you, Remus," Mrs. Lupin told him, and he could see in her eyes how much she meant it. The perfect moment was ruined by a loud knock at the door. Remus stood out and peeked out the window. What he saw made his jaw drop. He had seen the wizard at the door many times in pictures, mostly chocolate frog cards, but had never met him in person, and never thought that he would. Remus turned from the window and rushed to the door to open it for Albus Dumbledore.

"Good Morning," said Dumbledore, looking down at Remus. "You must be the young Mr. Remus Lupin." Remus nodded, and stepped aside to allow Dumbledore entrance, not sure what else to do.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Mrs. Lupin exclaimed as she turned to see who had entered the house. "We weren't expecting you."

"Please sir, make yourself comfortable," Mr. Lupin added, walking over to the silver-bearded man, and gesturing to the most comfortable armchair in the living room.

"Thank you." Professor Dumbledore nodded politely and sat down. He began to talk again immediately, explaining why he was there. "I understand today is Remus' birthday?" He asked. Remus nodded again. "Wonderful. I have a birthday present here that I think you will quite enjoy." Remus frowned, not sure what to expect. Then, with a swift movement of his hand and, in turn, beard, Professor Dumbledore produced a parchment envelope from his long purple robes. He handed the envelope to Remus, who took it in awe, almost sure of what it was. _His Hogwarts letter._ That was impossible. He couldn't go to Hogwarts. But there, in the bright green ink, were the words: _Mr. R. J. Lupin. The basement, Silver cottage._ Remus turned the letter over, but didn't open it. His father was talking again.

"How can Remus go to Hogwarts? He's a werewolf. Wouldn't it be dangerous for him to go attend?"

"In wolf form, your son would be dangerous anywhere. However, the transformation only occurs once a month and the deputy headmistress and I have agreed that your son may attend Hogwarts, as long as certain safety precaution are taken. We have arranged to build a shack on the outskirts of Hogsmeade village. He will go there every full moon, where he will cease to be a danger to the students."

"Thank you very much professor Dumbledore." Remus could tell that his mother was on the verge of tears. Dumbledore got up from his chair, and went again to the door.

"I will intrude upon your household no longer. I hope to see you at Hogwarts, Mr. Lupin." Dumbledore winked at Remus, and then left, closing the door behind him. In the distance, Remus could hear a faint crack, then with a sudden burst of excitement and energy, he jumped up into his father's arms.

"I got my Hogwarts letter!" He chanted over and over again. His dad set him gently down on the floor; Remus promised himself he would never forget this day. The best birthday ever.


End file.
